Troubleshooting and Recovery
Keep the originals connected and intact while checking a problem. A finished progress bar does not mean every item was copied or every metadata change was saved.
Check Activity Log
- On Mac, open View > Activity Log. On iPad/iPhone, use More > App > Activity Log, or the log button in the progress panel.
- Choose the Ingest or Workflow run. For individual edits and quick transfers, check All Entries; they may not have a separate run heading.
- Filter by Warnings or Errors, or search for a filename. Read Destination / Message, not just the overall status. On iPad/iPhone, tap an entry for its full details; on Mac, widen the column or select its text.
| Status | What to check |
|---|---|
| Running | Work has not finished. It may be preparing, transferring, or waiting. Check the progress panel and source connection before starting another run. |
| Succeeded | The recorded action succeeded. Still check the destination files and required metadata before deleting originals. |
| Succeeded with Warnings | Inspect individual entries: some work may have succeeded while another part failed or needed attention. |
| Skipped | Read why it was skipped. An existing destination is not proof of an identical or complete copy. |
| Failed | The requested action failed; earlier actions or files may already have been written. |
| Cancelled | Work was stopped. Completed changes remain; check for incomplete outputs. |
Counts at the bottom follow the current log filters. Clear search and return to All Entries if results seem missing. Read errors can also appear in the browser rather than this log.
Clear Log on Mac or Clear on mobile removes completed history, not files or active runs. Closing the log does not cancel work. The log is kept only for the current app launch, and older completed entries can be removed as it fills up. Note useful messages before clearing it or quitting.
Restore Access and Missing Metadata
- Source unavailable: reconnect the same drive, card, camera, or server; check power and network access. If browsing still fails, use the offered Retry, File > Reload Tab on Mac, or reopen the source on mobile. If a saved folder no longer opens, choose it again with Open Folder to restore access.
- Permission denied: check that the destination is writable and the card or files are not locked. For Apple Photos, review PhotoCuller’s Photos permission in system settings. Being able to browse a location does not prove that writing or deleting is allowed.
- Incomplete metadata: on Mac, open Details in the metadata warning, fix the connection/access problem, then use Retry to reread the affected items. Dismissing the warning does not repair them. On mobile, reconnect and retry/reopen the source if needed.
- Incomplete statistics: use Scan Remaining in Statistics on Mac or Stats on mobile when offered. It reads the loaded source, not just the selection, and may download iCloud media. Cancel stops further scanning without undoing metadata already loaded. Check coverage again; a successful read does not mean a file contains every EXIF field.
- Empty grid or a run that will not start: check filters, selected source, destination, required session variables, and any workflow validation messages. An upgrade prompt is a feature-access limit, not a connection failure.
Recover an Interrupted Transfer
- If it is waiting for a connection, reconnect first. A run waiting on a detected disconnection can continue when access returns. Do not launch a duplicate while it is still active. Some failures finish the run instead; inspect the result.
- If Ingest pauses for insufficient destination space, free space and choose Continue in its progress panel. On Mac, reopen Ingest if its window closed after starting. Also check local device space: remote transfers and processing can need temporary local files. Other tools can report a storage failure rather than offer Continue.
- After a failed or cancelled run, compare source and destination. Check missing files, RAW+JPEG/Live Photo pairs, sidecars, metadata, and any names changed to avoid collisions. Keep originals until you have verified a separate copy.
- Rerun only the work still needed. Review selection, filters, naming, and existing-file handling again. For a safe test, use Copy into a separate empty folder, without source edits or deletion steps. Repeating Move, Rename, metadata changes, or deletion is not a harmless retry.
On iPad/iPhone, a finished Ingest may offer Retry Issues. It reuses the original run settings for eligible problem items, not every warning, collision skip, or cancelled item. Review the issues before using it; Done dismisses that run’s retry controls. Mac Ingest and workflows do not offer this same Retry Issues button; prepare another run after reviewing the results.
Ingest’s Copy New Photos Only uses past import history, not a check that the destination is still complete. It can skip a needed replacement or second copy. For an intentional repeat, review that option and collision handling rather than assuming history will repair the destination.
Cancel and retry do not roll back completed work. In filesystem workflows, Move with Skip can remove source files even when an existing destination was not copied again. Use Copy for recovery until you have verified the files; never erase a card based only on counts or a success badge.
Cancel, Background, or Quit
Use Cancel in the active progress controls. Activity Log also offers cancellation for active Ingest/Workflow runs; on Mac, confirm Cancel Execution when prompted. Cancellation can take time, and some work may complete before it stops. Wait for the run to stop before disconnecting storage. Closing a progress/setup window is not a substitute for Cancel.
On iPad/iPhone, keep PhotoCuller in the foreground for long Ingest and Workflow runs. After switching apps or locking the device, the system allows only limited background time. When that time ends, PhotoCuller pauses further work; return to the app to resume if the run is still present and its sources are available. A Live Activity shows progress—it does not keep the app running indefinitely.
Quitting, force-closing, a crash, or a device restart is different from temporary backgrounding. Unfinished jobs and Activity Log are not restored on the next launch. Saved presets, tab restoration, and Ingest history do not resume a job. Completed file and metadata changes remain where they were saved; inspect destinations for partial results, reconnect sources, and set up only the work still needed. Do not rely on a quit warning to protect an active run.
If Synchronization Has Not Arrived
- Check network access, the same iCloud account on both devices, and the relevant switch under Settings > iCloud Sync. Settings/templates, Apple Photos metadata, and CullSync have separate controls; none of these copies your original files or restores a purchase.
- For CullSync, keep the original source open on the producing device, use Update Now, and check the snapshot’s members, metadata, and updated time on the receiving device. Missing or ambiguous filename matches need review, not repeated blind application. Follow CullSync for
.cullsyncexport/import if cloud delivery is unavailable. - For Apple Photos metadata, check that both devices can access the corresponding library items. Verify the actual values on the receiving device before relying on them. Do not delete shared presets or snapshots as a sync-reset step: their deletion can also synchronize.
If a problem persists, contact [email protected] with the app/OS version, source and destination types, action, and exact error message. Do not include passwords or license keys; review filenames and paths for private information.